1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to wire dispensing carts, which are typically two wheeled manually manipulated carts having the facility for support of multiple reels of wire, typically electrical wire, and also arranged for rotation of the wire storage reels during dispensing of wire therefrom. More particularly, the present invention concerns a two wheeled manually operated cart having a plurality of removable spindles which are pivotally mounted to move between an open position for assembly or removal of wire storage reels and a closed position for securing the wire storage reels. More specifically, the cart has the facility for locking the pivotally mounted spindles in the closed position and for securely storing the spindles when they are removed from pivotal assembly with the cart mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of wheel mounted wire reel or spool carriers or carts have been in extensive use for a number of years. Reels or spools of material such as wire, particularly electrical wire and cable are supported by such spool carriers or carts in a manner permitting the cart to be transported to an intended site and permitting the wire of the reels to be dispensed from the reels as needed. Typically the carts are provided with spindles on which the wire reels are rotatably mounted so that the wire can be payed out end-wise from the reels.
The spindles may be fixed to the cart structure or may be removable from the cart structure and may be retained to the cart mechanism by resting the ends of the spindles in notches or pockets provided therefor or by temporarily securing the spindles to the cart structure by means of cotter pins or latches. In almost every case, the spindles of wheel mounted wire reel or spool carriers or carts are removable from the frame structure of the cart for assembly or disassembly of wire spools to or from the spindles. When the spindles are separated from the cart structure, they frequently become lost or damaged and thus must be replaced. Obviously, loss of one or more of the spindles of a wire cart causes the cart to be less than completely operative until the missing spindle has been replaced. It is desirable therefore, to provide a wheel mounted wire reel or spool carriers or cart having spindles that are moveable between open and closed positions to permit assembly and disassembly of wire reels, without the risk of one or more of the spindles becoming separated from the cart mechanism and lost or damaged. It is also desirable to provide a wire spool carrier or cart having spool mounting spindles that can be separated from operative position on a cart and which are securely receivable by a storage mechanism of the cart so that the spindles cannot become inadvertently separated from the cart mechanism when not in operative use or operative position.
Loading of spools to the spindles of wheel mounted wire reel or spool carriers or carts or separation of the spools from the spindles is often a difficult task for workers because both ends of the spindles must be supported as the rather heavy wire reels are assembled or disassembled. Then, after the reels have been assembled to a spindle the spindle, which may be heavy with several wire reels, the heavy and awkward reel supporting spindle must be assembled to the frame structure of the cart and secured thereto. The use of slots or pockets to receive the ends of the removable spindles is beneficial, as compared to securing the ends of the spindles with cotter pins or other locking mounts, but if the cart should fall over then several of the wire supporting spindles can become inadvertently separated from the cart. It is desirable therefore to provide a wheel mounted wire reel or spool carriers or cart having a locking mechanism which positively retains the spindles in operative position with the cart mechanism and ensures against inadvertent opening or separation of the spindles, regardless of the condition of the cart. It is also desirable to provide a wheel mounted wire reel or spool carrier or cart having a spindle positioning mechanism which permits secure and stable positioning of pivotally supported spindles to enable a worker to assemble wire reels to the spindles or remove wire reels from the spindles.